updated 03:25 pm EDT, Tue August 9, 2005

Apple Expo Paris

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs is scheduled to present the by TMO, American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu expects Jobs will use the Paris expo to make significant announcements "beyond just new iPods." Wu said these could include music subscriptions, video and the iTunes mobile phone. In a research note released to clients this week, PiperJaffray said the Paris show would likely deliver an iPod mini with color screen or larger capacity iPod shuffle music player.

Timing-wise...

this may be one of the most important keynotes in a long time. This is the first time since the Mactel announcement for Apple to show a roadmap. I would like to see strategic plans the same way Jobs demonstrated when he first took over and had hsi simplified product grids. Remember those?

I hope Wu is correct in some of his predictions. I think there is room for a better subscription model out there that could undercut the wma favoritism shown by the record industry, but I also think it is time for Apple with its dominant position to find partners in opening a few things up. This pissing war with Sony has to end. I would like to see Sony as an ally against MS. Sony doesn't want a windows-controled environment anymore than Apple.

Could Apple live with an iTunes enabled Walkman in exchange for access to protected CD's? This is a lot more important than a 2 gig Shuffle announcement.

The show is too late for a back to school announcement, but just about right for holiday announcements and Apple needs to also give creatives a reason to upgrade their dual G5's one last time.

thanks for the date

Hm...

There will be more than one G5 refresh prior to Mactel,
I have been told this by several seemingly in the know
sources. Odd.

But the announcement could be interesting. Right now
the world appears to be rapidly heading towards iPod
overload. It's great, people can't get enough of them
(I have at least three in the house right now) but I
think we're just waiting for the next insanely great
thing beyond this and certainly beyond new computers.

"The G5 hand warmer. Keeps you warm even if it's
twenty below outside."

No big video iPods please

I'm just crossing my fingers that there won't be a new top-line iPod coming out around that time because I just went down to the States to buy a new 60 GB iPod this weekend and don't want to find out that an even larger capacity one will be coming out at the same price. You can never be ahead of the technology race, but I feel more comfortable when I've bought the best thing that is out for at least three months.